The Case of the Baffled Sherlock
by Madre de Muerte
Summary: Sherlock Holmes has encoutered a problem even he has no idea where to start from which requires the work with a Lady Giles who seems to know more that he ever suspected. Can Holmes handle a place where deduction powers are not everything?
1. Chapter 1

**The Case of the Baffled Sherlock**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Sherlock Holmes or any aspect of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Holmes belongs to those who hold the copyright holdings but most have since then expired but the original author who this brilliant character along with others arrived from was Sir Arthur C. Doyle. Buffy belongs to several companies and people who are not me and Joss Whedon was the creator. **

I looked at the scene before feeling myself sicken. Even as a doctor with experience in the gruesome nature the human body could assume, never before had I seen such as scene as the one before me. I felt my face ashen and could not help but turn to my companion.

Holmes was as pale as I was but I could tell he could not and would not remove his eyes from the scene. His mouth moved as if to speak, but he stopped closing it. He turned as if to exit the scene though he halted. I wished to follow but without faltering in my exit. I could not help but accept that I was unnerved by the scene and did not wish to be here.

This was to be a simple case. It appeared to be one of murder. I had believed that it would be solved almost by magic in Holmes' amazing mind and powers of deduction. How wrong I was. I wish now I had stayed with my wife instead of coming here. My nerves strengthened as I thought.

Holmes had come to me in the morning claiming he would like my assistance. I knew something was out of the normal by his appearance of nervousness. He was jittery, a word I would never expect to use on Holmes, as this was not a kind of movement caused by enthusiasm. If I were not mistaken I would have sworn that he was a dash afraid but of what I could not say so I dismissed it.

Officer Ackermann stood at the scene. He looked uncomfortable although he had been here before so it was expected that he stay there with his reaction as it was. He was the detective of this area and in charge of this case. He looked at our reactions but mostly focused on my companion while he smoked from his pipe.

Holmes moved forward to the body. The scene had the most unpleasant scent of early decay that seemed to strike him immediately. He frowned, as he looked almost confused before looking around where most of the carnage was. He paled even more and for a moment I believed he would faint when he spoke lightly.

"The heart is missing." Ackermann looked startled. He then nodded apparently having missed this clue.

"Do you have any ideas Mr. Holmes?"

I looked about once more taking in the scene with eyes now less shocked, but nonetheless did the scene disturb me. The victim had been identified by his younger sister as Victor Grant, a young accountant who was looking up to a new job according to her. His sister, Miss Wilma Grant, had found his body less than three hours ago when the scene had been at its most pristine condition.

Mr. Grant hung from the ceiling most disturbingly enough by his intestine. I couldn't discern which it was although I was willing to guess the large intestine. His torso stood intact like a hollow shell only his arms and legs remaining whole though not without harm. They were damaged with lacerations.

His face was held no eyes; I spotted one near my foot when I had stepped into the room. I was tempted to leave the room then but the eye had been the least of the horrors. They had been whole from being gouged out but the damage to the face was enormous. I could swear I saw a part of the brain. The eye sockets were collapsed and I was surprised the sister hadn't screamed and fainted at the moment she encountered this.

What caused the most confusion to the investigation was the lack of blood. There was none at all. As far as I could tell it was as if there never had been in him. His heart was missing along with his blood. I could see no mark that could have possibly pulled it from his once live body.

The cavity of his body as I said was mostly hollow. I could identify pieces of his organs here and there among the walls though I had to be careful, as some of them were less than whole. Holmes was pointing to the lungs and which were whole. The upper body's organs and tissues were mostly whole and I realized how Holmes had spotted the lack of heart. The lower organs had been thrashed out as if useless while care had been put into the upper torso.

Ackermann shifted catching my attention, he motioned for both Holmes and myself to go closer. He put out his pipe and met us a meter away from Mr. Grant. He spoke looking as though he hoped for us to have the answers before he had to make a decision that he didn't quite agree with.

"Here is something that caught our attention from the start. We aren't certain where they are from and our department had set them to have them decrypted all here in the United Kingdom. As you can see here," He pointed to a small panel on a desk that stood near by. "these symbols are arranged in a certain place and this is the only place where blood can be found."

Holmes went near and studied them; I could make out a circle of unknown characters, possibly from the East. Indeed there was pool of liquid that appeared to be blood. Holmes shook his head.

"Unfortunately sir, this is not blood. I am not sure what it is but it does appear to be a bodily fluid. My associate here is a doctor. Watson, could you lend us your knowledge, as this seems to be in you field. There appears to be something floating in it but I do not wish to inspect it until Watson has given us his own observations." Said he.

I nodded and made my way toward the sample. Upon inspection it did indeed look like blood only due to the lighting, as the curtains had been drawn in the room making it appear like twilight. There was something unpleasant about, as I could not place it among any thing of the human body that I knew of. I looked closer before I realized that the other eye that had not been seen by my foot was.

"This is a combination of bile and I dare say the other eye of Mr. Grant." I took a pencil on the desk that was uncontaminated. I retrieved the item Holmes had pointed out and the eyes contents that had not been released spilled on to the mixture. A green color, which had been the pupil, I assumed as Miss. Grant and the other eye, which I had encountered, shared the common tint but this one was less bright.

Holmes seemed to take this conclusion in and stepped back until he was about 12 centimeters from Mr. Grant. He examined the body for another moment before turning to us. He was about to speak when the most unexpected thing occurred.

Unfortunately for Holmes, the intestine appeared to be break and Mr. Grant fell. His body fell to the side and moved faster than Holmes could. The corpse then assaulted him; it was quite a morbidly funny scene. Mr. Grant's hollow cavity seemed to fall onto Holmes as a grim costume but was finished off by the intestine falling across his left shoulder onto the ground whilst a few pieces slapped his face. Holmes had never in my life appeared as he had before me.

He quickly removed Mr. Grant and his organs from him and turned to exit. It was quite understandable at the moment I was shocked and sympathized him. I had, at the moment the intestine had removed itself from Mr. Grant's neck, seen what appeared to be to puncture marks. I failed to see any relevance to this at the moment and followed Holmes out.

When we saw him, Holmes, he appeared to be slightly ill. He turned to Ackermann, and me "I'm sorry." He said.

"Why, my dear Holmes, there is not shame in leaving after such an incident." I assured him.

He shook his head and Ackermann looked like he had just tasted a sour lemon. It looked as though he knew what Holmes would say.

"No, Watson, that is not it. I am sorry officer; I am of no use here. I cannot even begin to fathom such a scene. From what we have been told there are no witnesses, no sounds of screaming, and no signs of entry or exit.

"There is no way to tell where the offenders started and what ritual they tried to conduct or how they started to begin with. I am truly baffled. I would like time to consider what––" He spoke. I was becoming more worried for his health as he was turn paler. Then suddenly, he stopped and turned a way from us. He regurgitated. When he turned I could see he was embarrassed by his display.

Ackermann gritted his teeth before he spoke to us. "I would like to have you work with someone who has been recommended. This person has been said to have knowledge in this type of area of crime."

Holmes looked startled and I was assured did I as well. "Who is he?"

Ackermann grimaced. "She. Who is she. She is Lady Regina Giles." He spoke. Holmes violently protested this immediately.

"My good sir who would recommend a woman for this! We could barely stomach such a scene, how would a lady, of noble blood nonetheless, be expected to handle this?"

The officer shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know how to describe this but Miss. Grant though in tears had not reacted as was expected, in fact it was most unusual. She although surprised seemed to accept the fate of her brother. When the details went through we received a call from a certain high ranking individual who suggested Lady Giles."

"Well he must be a dolt! Miss. Grant's reaction can be easily explained. The poor woman must have been in shock seeing her dear brother in such a state." Holmes snapped back.

"That dolt, sir, was your brother." Ackermann said icily. Holmes paled and did not speak anymore. "Please return to your homes, we will call you when Lady Giles has arrived." With that, we departed. I could not help but think of the reason Lady Giles would wish to involve herself in such a case.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Case of the Baffled Sherlock**

**Chapter 2**

I looked to Lady Giles who stood before me. Sherlock looked at her with a sharp look in his eyes whilst she introduced herself to us. 

She was a woman with greying auburn hair, with traces of her youth still upon her face. A small smile graced her features as she curtsied to Holmes and myself. "Hello, Mr. Holmes. I've heard many things about." She turned to me. "As yourself Dr. Watson, you have a small bit of acclaim a few specific circles."

Holmes seemed to have found something about her to gain his confidence in her abilities, which still remained unknown. We once again stood outside of the Grant residence. The smell of decay was strong, as Mr. Grant had not been removed. It was a smell which none of us reacted strongly to.

Lady Giles moved to the entrance. She entered and we followed after her. I saw now that there was lanterns set about the room. All three of us set out to light them. I frowned briefly before I focused upon Giles. She was moving her eyes through out the room before turning to my companion and myself. She walked toward us.

"Mr. Holmes." said she. "I have heard you have seen this when it wasn't so decayed. What can you tell me? You have had time to ponder this." She frowned briefly. "Was I misinformed?"

Holmes shook his head and spoke. "I have indeed been thinking and I need to see Mr. Grant's body once more before I divulge any of my conclusions." said he. Holmes moved toward the body of Mr. Grant. Holmes moved the body before he seemed to be satisfied with his brief investigation. He turned to us, Lady Giles and myself who held our backs to the door, when he spoke clearly of his deductions. 

"I believe that Mr. Grant was a victim a wicked cult of heathens. For what reason, I cannot say yet, as Ackermann met with me before our meeting. He told me that there has been little success into translating the runes but I can meet other conclusions from the events." He waved his hand to the area over the room in which the sphere of violence around us. "The lack of blood was one of my first clues to the ritual which may be taking place at this very moment or at least to its motives." 

He moved to Mr. Grant's body and gently positioned his mutilated head to the side to reveal the left side of his neck. There from what I could see from our small distances were two deep puncture marks. Lady Giles moved closer and I followed soon enough. Upon closer viewing, I was astonished to see faint marks in an elliptical pattern around the two deeper ones that did penetrated the flesh. Holmes let Grant's head lye on the ground and began to speak.

"Blood has always been associated with life and these two marks cause me to believe that someone mimicked a vampire." He looked closer to the arms and pointed to the wrists. "Mimicked as I believe Mr. Grant was bled dry by his arms." He stood up. "It would take a considerable time bleed him as you may know but what puzzles me is how there is no trace an any other blood from the body visible in the room." He turned to Lady Giles. "You seem to be less astonished then I was my first time viewing this question. Do you have knowledge to how it was done, Lady Giles?" He asked her.

Lady Giles nodded. "I have several suspicions but first continue, dear sir. I will no doubt have reached my own conclusions after I your own and compare to my own."

"The heart has been as symbol of love and also life but let us not forget truth from the old Egyptian myths of the weight of soul being within it. From the marks, there has to be some tie in to mysticism. Dark mysticism. What they plan with the heart, I cannot say once more but I can conclude one thing. If the symbolic draining from that of a vampire, it can be thought that the perpetrators may have followed other rules to the creatures.

"As you recall, Watson, Miss. Grant informed us that aside from herself and her brother that there are only two more residents in this home, a maid and Mr. Rochester. Rochester is the assistant of Mr. Grant who was boarding in the room adjacent to Grant." Holmes eyes were shining by now. He suddenly moved to show faint imprints from the bruised flesh of Grant.

"The maid, Miss. Lucille Right, was visiting her mother on a holiday so her involvement is unlikely. Mr. Rochester on the other hand was in town, he was the one last seen exiting this home and if you are familiar with the legends, they speak that vampires may only enter if invited. Mr. Rochester has not been seen or heard of since Mr. Grant's death." Holmes moved to the desk.

"Mr. Grant, I believe was preparing for a small business transaction as his instruments lay about the floor from the desk. I cannot tell you who may have done this but I have made the assertion that Mr. Rochester did partake his companion's death, whether, knowingly or not. Either Mr. Rochester is an accomplice or he is another victim in this mystery"

Lady Giles was listening intently and I still remained silent as I waited for her to speak. Holmes had drawn out many solved thread but Lady Giles seemed to be the link to the answer to the questions. She did not speak immediately but moved toward the desk and moved her eyes over the marking engraved upon it. "I see." she whispered tersely.

She turned to us. "Gentlemen, I have a question for you. Do you believe in Providence?" I looked startled, as did Holmes. It was an unexpected question. Both he and I asserted. "I would see to it that you carry a symbol of your faith for a small amount of time." 

She smiled and turned to Holmes. "I thank you for your observations, something has been brought to my attention at the moment." Her face turned serious for the moment and we looked upon her intently. "These runes read as is followed, please excuse any awkward phrasing but some of these words and phrases do not translate easily in English." said she. She looked upon the markings and spoke.

"The destroyer of the slime, the apes of the west and east, to him we offer the blood of the ape warrior. The truth of it shall come from sight and in sight. The soul," She frowned briefly, "will be brought to sacrifice…." She stopped frowning but looking at us gravely.

"Your assertions were correct Mr. Holmes in this being a blasphemous act of Evil. It is only that whoever did this did not finish here. This is incomplete. The rhythm in this is off in the native tongue, most likely an original incantation and not one from passing through the centuries. There is talk about immortality from the offer of a sacrifice; Mr. Grant was only the beginning."

"The vampire symbolizes immortality but through death, do you mean to say that whoever is doing this may seek a type of vampire immortality but of that as a human? One evidently believes themselves a vampire." I said.

Lady Giles nodded. She looked about the room. "I cannot say how they did enter though without further research. I shall conclude this investigation, Gentlemen, with my colleagues. You may both rest assured that we shall resolve this." She stated.

Holmes looked startled. "I have been contacted to solve this as well, Madam." Lady Giles cut him off in his protest.

" You may find work through Miss. Grant but I will be working for the most part alone, Mr. Holmes." She stated. Holmes and I exited thereafter and spoke outside the building.

"This is most puzzling Watson. I will speak to several people on this matter. If Lady Giles wished for us to be startled by her reading and lured away by her assurances of success, then she is most mistaken."

I looked to him mirthfully. "You will not let her complete this?" I asked knowing the answer. "She appears to know where to begin."

"Yes but I withheld information from Lady Giles. I myself have seen Mr. Rochester, but only after did I realize it was he when I went out to visit Miss. Grant. If we may find him we may find our culprit." From that we headed to find Officer Ackermann to inform him of this development and of that with Lady Giles.

----------------------

Regina looked out the window toward the two figures. Why had Mycroft involved his brother in this case? Did he wish to revive his family's position in the Council? Mycroft had only been spared the position as a field Watcher due to his rise in the government. Regina frowned and set about to locate the Slayer.


End file.
